Shocking – though not surprising, given the way local government (across the breadth of the land) generally approaches the arts. They’re really only interested when/if they perceive a measurable financial dividend – hence the flurry of dick pulling apropos the ‘creative industries.’ Plenty of talk about community well-being, oh yeah, but it’s all just policy window dressing.

In the case of the arts, when it comes to political accommodations with corporate sponsorship (and lets face it, it’s always been thus ‘cos it’s usually the big boys/mining companies that cough up the philanthropic readies) it’s really just a matter of what my sister refers to as ‘self-lickin’ icecream.’

Anyways, at last the mystery is solved, eh – poor David, what a nightmare. Very, very foolish of the LaTrobe Council ‘leadership team’ (god give us strength) – which unfortunately demonstrates a not-uncommon blinkered self-aggrandisement and ignorance.

Apart from the money, I’ve thought artists are better off to do it for themselves. Probably from the way I get shafted in the glass coven. Interesting to watch Bairnsdale get a new dir. where they don;t have regional status, collection, or funding. Runs with the local art scene, and a stodgy “friends” group. West Gippy has a perforning theatre walls for display but run open studios, workshops and 1 soon to be 2 station spaces. Nearly all by the artists who keep control. Not big names but lots happens. As this shit is in the open now, and the other here in Sale is the same, artists may be oK with bypassing them.

In many ways ARIs really are the most useful thermometer for the state of the arts. But they’re ghastly when run by a group of stodgies. And, unfortunately, often they are. Nothing worse than death by mediocre committee.

Artists do indeed have to do it for themselves – but not in a sheepish herd.
I’d quite like to kickstart an artzpolitik collective down here – but don’t imagine there’d be too many takers.